


China

by Ischa



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Child Abuse, Disturbing Themes, Gen, Harry Potter Next Generation, Kidnapping, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-13
Updated: 2011-07-13
Packaged: 2017-10-21 08:55:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/223374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ischa/pseuds/Ischa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The one where Albus gets kidnapped and the Malfoys save the day.</p><p>
  <i>It started a few months ago and no one really cared at first. He remembers that. And then Dad got invested. Dad always cared and it didn’t matter – it doesn’t matter – that the first and second child were those of former Slytherins with Death Eater parents.</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	China

\--+--  
~1~

~+~  
If it weren’t that messed up it would’ve been funny. The thing is Albus has no one other than himself to blame here – and he knows it.  
James would say that as well and then he would laugh and then he would help Albus out of his mess, because even if James is an arse, he is Albus’ brother and that counts for something, at least in their family.

~+~  
With his Dad defeating Voldemort, every child in the magic world thought that it was safe. Safe, my ass, Albus thinks. He of all people should have known better.

“Aren’t you a pretty one? And so rare,” the man says. Albus would sneer or scream, but he can’t. He can still feel and think, and that might be the worst thing of all. The man runs a finger over Albus’ skin. Carefully, softly and Albus recoils mentally. He never saw an insane person before, but he knows one when he sees one and this man is as insane as anyone could be.

~+~  
After three days, being on display to please this insane man and being touched like no one should be touched if unwanted, Albus tries to formulate a plan in his head. He has no idea how to get out of here, but maybe if he remembers everything about how he got here he can find something.  
Something to hang his hopes on.

 

~2~  
It started a few months ago and no one really cared at first. He remembers that. And then Dad got invested. Dad always cared and it didn’t matter – it doesn’t matter – that the first and second child were those of former Slytherins with Death Eater parents. Dad never cared about that.  
Albus remembers Mom’s look as if she wanted to say that that’s what you get. The sins of the father and all that. Mom didn’t understand that Dad understood all about the sins of the father’s. Grandpa James wasn’t always the shiny golden boy. Dad wasn’t either.  
And then a few weeks ago Luna’s girl went missing and everyone started to look a bit worried. After all, Luna’s girl got missing a lot, but she usually showed up a day later or so. No one was too alarmed for the first two days.  
And then all hell broke loose.  
Dad and Uncle Ron were investigating and Mom looked worried more than ever.

~+~  
It never crossed Albus’ mind that he could be on that list. That imaginary list that this man kept under his pillow (or where the hell ever) of children he would love to possess. No one ever wanted the middle child for anything.  
Luna’s daughter is an only child, so are the other children Albus knows about. He would ask if he could, but he can’t.

“You are the most pretty thing ever,” the man whispers into his ear and there is the hand again. “Pity I can’t undress you now…” he adds with a frown. Albus’ insides go cold. Fuck, he thinks. He wants to cry and is furiously glad he can’t do that either.  
Luna’s daughter, Evelyn, is standing right beside him. He can’t even reach out and hold her hand to comfort her, to tell her everything will be alright. He feels useless and powerless and more than a child than he ever had before and he is not a child anymore. Not at nearly 16.

~+~  
When the man brings Scorpius in they all see it. Scorpius looks bloody and his clothes are torn in places, like he fought. Albus remembers that Scorpius always fights. He never goes down easily. It shouldn’t surprise him that he did here as well.  
Ridiculous as it is: Scorpius, bloody and angry, gives Albus hope.  
The man puts Scorpius down carefully on the other side of Albus. Their tiny hands brush and Albus can feel something.

_Fuck, fuck, fuck…_

_Oh, shut up!_ Albus thinks irritatedly after an eternity of only fuck in his head.

_You can hear me, Potter._

_Hmm, obviously_ , Albus thinks and is honest to god glad that he can talk with someone. At this point in history it doesn’t even matter that it’s Scorpius who landed James in the infirmary a few times. Granted James was the one who provoked a fight every single time.

 _Okay, we can work from here_ , Scorpius answers.  
Albus really has no clue how thinking can help them, Scorpius laughs in his head: sudden and carefree and it feels Albus with something warm inside him.

 

~3~  
Scorpius tells him stories and recites textbooks and poems sometimes. Sometimes he tells Albus how to make a deadly poison and swears it works too. Albus doesn’t particularly care if it does.  
Sometimes they talk about the mess they’re in, their condition. They never talk about the way this man touches them. It makes Scorpius angry beyond belief. Not only because of himself, but on behalf of the other kids too. The girls especially.  
On the 13th day after Scorpius arrived, the new kid the man brings in tries to run. It makes the man really angry and the kid falls down, breaks one leg and chips an elbow. There is no blood. The man swears, takes the boy in hand and puts him in a drawer.

“Maybe I’ll fix you later…” he says and then turns around to them. “Don’t even try it. When you fall and break something other than a leg or an arm, I won’t be able to fix you. You’ll be dead.” He gives them a stern look and if they could, Albus is sure they all would nod.

 _There goes your plan of just letting me push you over the edge of the mantelpiece_ , Albus thinks at Scorpius.

 _I hate waiting for someone to rescue me_ , Scorpius thinks back.

 _You’re pretty sure you’ll be rescued_ , Albus answers.

_Yes._

~+~  
On day 22 for Scorpius, the doors to the creepy man’s house burst open and Draco Malfoy stands on the doorstep looking murderous. Right behind him is Dad.  
_Thank Merlin, fuck_ , Scorpius thinks and Albus can’t think anything else.

~+~  
It takes Healer Longbottom and Luna another two days to make them flesh again. He feels weak and wants to hide and is grateful that Healer Longbottom doesn’t allow visits more than 20 minutes a day.  
He shares a room with Scorpius, because after he just couldn’t let go of Scorpius hand.

“You were bait,” Albus says on day three. They are alone, and it’s night, and he can’t see Scorpius’ face and is glad for it.

“No, my dad was only clever enough to put a tracking spell on me,” Scorpius answers, but Albus doesn’t believe him, even if he knows that’s the truth how Scorpius wants it to be known.

“Thank you,” Albus says and means it.

“Whatever,” Scorpius replies, dismissing the conversation.

“I mean it. Your dad doesn’t owe us anything…your family doesn’t owe anyone anything after how they treated you and the other children of former Slytherins.”

“Shut up. It’s not about that for my dad,” Scorpius says.

“I know,” he does, because it’s not about that for his dad either. “Thanks anyway for risking your life for us.” He adds because the point still stands. Draco Malfoy risked his only child to try and save them all. Scorpius risked his life for them.

“Don’t mention it,” Scorpius says and Albus reaches out in the dark and grabs Scopius’ hand. He intertwines their fingers and Scorpius lets him.

“Okay,” he says.

~end~


End file.
